Electric snap switches



June 19, 1956 c R. SMITH ELECTRIC SNAP SWITCHES Filed Oct. 5, 1953 m M m @w z I! .I||H rlxnv H II M m a k 6 O 3 3 WM 4 & 2 u 2 nu 6 3 4 1 a m w n a ,u M 4 z W m A. 7. m A. K m E s 3 m 4 4 a 4 H a}: a W L 4 z I l 3 4 O z w m a. mm mm m United States Patent ELECTRHZJ SNAP SWITCHES Charles R. Smith Mequon, Wis.,. assignor to Cutler- Hammer, 1219., Milwaukee, Wisg amorporation. of-

Delaware Application .Octoher, 1953,;Serial-l lo. 384,030

5 Claims. (Cl; 200'67)' This invfintion relatestotelectric snap switches and more particularly .to -improved, actuating mechanisms for single pole,;,sing1e {throw :snapswitches.-

An object of this invention is to provide an electric snap, switch which is of simple construction andinexpensive to. manufacture.

Another object is toprovide a switch actuating mechanism-for such switches, which mechanism can readily be.

produced in: diminutive size to provide a snap-acting switch operating mechanism'for miniature switches.

Another object is to provide a snap switch' actuating mechanism which is readily adjustable at will so that the distance of travel of the actuating member can be reduced while still providing an abrupt snap movement in opening;and closing the switch contacts.

A more specific object is to provide an actuating mechanism which effects hammer-blow snap opening of the switch contacts in response to a very short operating movement of the switch actuating member.

The. novel'features whichi consider characteristic of my-invention are set forthwith particularity inthe-appended claims. The device itself, however, both'as to its organization and modeof operation-together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will bcstbe under- Fig.3 is a sectional view, taken along line -33jof I Fig.2 and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, takenalong line 44 of Fig.- 1.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures'of the drawings;-

Referring to Fig. -1, it shows the invention comprising aim-approximatelyC-shaped molded insulating base 1t): Attached tosaid base 19 as by means of a bolt 12, is aplate-lfihaving thereon a stationary contact 14; Bolt 12 also-serves as a wiring terminal and employs a group of nuts 18 for the purpose of securely retaining a wiring lead (not shown). Any other suitable or well ,known means might be employed for electrically connecting a terminal wire, with plate 16.

Fastened to said base by means of bolt ZG'are a stamped sheet metal contact carrier 22 and a stamped sheet metal flipper carrier 24, Saidboltjflmay also function, through the medium of nuts 18, as a wiring terminal as above-explained with'respect to bolt 12.

Attached-to,said contact carrier 22 in any suitable; or; well known manner, such as by brazing, is a contact 26 movable into or out of cooperative engagement with stationary contact 14. Said contact carrier 22 is provided with an integral angularly bent portion by which it is mounted with respect to base 19 by said bolt 20; the angle 2,751,450 Patented June..19, 1956..

of said bent portion being such' as to normally provide an inherentbias of movable. contact 26jinto. cooperative engagement with stationary contact 14. Said contact carrier-22 is alsoprovided withia depending tongue or projection 22 sheared and bent downwardly from the mainbody portion 0f: 'carrier 22 as shown. in the draw: ings.- Although not essential ,to successful operation ,of my invention,I prefer to bend at substantially a right anglein one direction or the-other at least a portion of eachpf. 1 the-longitudinal edges 22 'of "carrier 22to thus increase. the strength and rigidity-bf ithose pprtionspf member.22.... which carry the movable, contact 26' and the projection 22';-

The flipper carrier 24 is also providedwithfingularly bent perforated end portion thtough iwhich lbolnZO, passes. to-attachthe sameto base 10;the angula'rity ofi said end portion-being such-as to provide an inherent biaswhich., urges said flipper carrier 24toward contact carrier 22., To prevent-flipper carrier 24 "from conducting electrical rene-r gy between plate 16gand ,terminal 29, the .side of plate. 16-opposi;te-to that -to which contact 14 .isattachedis provided "with a suitable insulating c vering, such as an, insulating plate 28which is fastened by any Wellknown means, such as the lower clamping nut 18 and ,bolt 12 which secure plates 16 and 28 imposition.

Flipper; carrier 24"has at least a portionor" its longi; tudinal-edges 24 bent at substantially a right angie preferably downwardlygio provide greater strength and ,v 1 of-ca-rrier24 over a major portion ,oiits length Two pairs of-tabs 30 are bent downwardly from the main body pot: tion of flipper carrier 24,as, shown. Said'pairsof tabs, 30' are-jqintly provided with"V'.'notche s for retentionofe. a fiippermembenSZi Said flipperrnernber BZis nade. of. spring steel and -is formed at its opposite endsl With tongu e portions 32* ';"32 -(Fig. 4) to preventaccidental,disengage: ment of said flipper member from said tabs 3%), As :best shown in Fi gs l and. 3;said flipper mernb'er fiznormally assumes-an arcuate shape,itsspriugy resiiient character in: suringgetentiomthereof within' thev notches of tabs ,36. The portion of flipper carrier 24 immediately adjacent, flipper member 32, as assembled,"isprovided with an open: ing;-24*?-to permit said flipper memberfil to flegrupwardiy, as shown in Fig.5. Said opening z l also permits projec; tion 22 to extend downwardly beyond th e flipper carrier 24, as shown-in Fi'g L;

Threadedly positioned in basalt}, andheld in adjusted position by means of nut 34;is a set screwBdwhich pro: vides anadjustableab utment for; contact with flipper member 32. A plate 38; preferably ofnietal, ,has a ,verti, calslot- -formed therein (Egg 3) whereby it is adjnstably I attaehed-tobase 10 by means of screw 40.1mm. isrproperly positioned relatively to contact carrier 22 to restrict theh-. p r movementof e att ro the s red d g ee.

n ope t g erv n a p r; otl ss slidahlypositioned in apertures within base 10,j is providedifor actuation of the switch'mechanism L'egSifM. are attached; toa connecting member as by welding and the lower, ends; f Said s m l tiointlyle t aga nst flipper ..ca1:- rie'r 24,"as shown inthedrawings The inherent bias of contact carrifilillnormallypro-s vides for. e g e nt fimovahlemmaet zfiiwithasta-i na y t c 14, t nsfiomple ng. anselec rical. circuit... o h e t hmec anismt Tdefiect te ruptio offsuch circuitgby disengagqmfint of the conta. s, itjs e ssamthat pe ating nem er e. movediiinwardly. Suchmovement of member-'42 causes flipper memberjis. c n act s t crew fid e. odownw r cr men of flipper carrier 24." Continued downward movement of flipper carrier 24 causes flipper member 32 to snap upwardly over-center due to contact thereof with set screw 36. Such upward over-center movement causes flipper member 32 to strike projection 22*, thereby overcoming the inherent bias of contact carrier 22 and moving the same upwardly against plate 38, as shown in Fig. 3. It is thus seen that disengagement of contact 26 from contact 14 is thereby effected.

Upon a predetermined reduction in the .degree of pressure applied to member 42, the inherent bias of contact carrier 22 efiects reengagement of the contacts. The contact carrier bias also simultaneously effects return of flipper member 32 to its normal position due to the force exerted by projection 22 on said flipper member 32, as shown in Fig. 1. It is realized that the particular operating member 42 shown in the drawings and described herein, is not essential to successful operation of the invention; the only requirement being to provide actuating means to move flipper carrier 24 against its inherent bias.

I have thus provided a switch mechanism which re quires only a very short movement of the operating member to effect disengagement of the contacts. Moreover, I have provided a switch mechanism which can readily be produced in diminutive size to provide a snap action mechanism for miniature switches.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, there fore, is not to be restricted except in so far as is necessitated' by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a snap-action switch, in combination, a movable contact carrier biased in a given direction to effect engagement of a set of contacts, a movable flipper carrier biased in a direction opposite to said given direction and positioned relative to said contact carrier to cause said biases to urge said carriers toward each other, a resilient metal flipper member pivotally connected at each end thereof to said flipper carrier and normally bowed in one direction or the other with respect to the latter, said contact carrier having a projection extending toward said flipper member, an adjustable stationary abutment positioned adjacent said flipper member on the opposite side thereof from said contact carrier, and a switch actuating member to overcome said bias on saidflipper carrier to cause said flipper member to contact said abutment thereby causing said flipper member to snap over-center and strike said projection on said contact carrier to move said contact carrier against its above-mentioned bias to thereby effect disengagement of said set of contacts.

2; In a snap-action switch, in combination, a movable contact carrier biased in a given direction to effect engagement of a set of contacts, a movable flipper carrier biased in a direction opposite to said given direction and positioned relative to said contact carrier so that said biases urge said carriers toward each other, a spring steel flipper member having knife-edge in pivotal engagement at each end thereof with said. flipper carrier and normally bowed in one direction or the other with respect to the latter, said contact carrier having a'projection extending toward said flipper member, an abutment positioned adjacent said flipper member on the opposite side thereof from said contact carrier, a switch actuating member to overcome said bias on said flipper carrier to cause said flipper member to contact said abutment thereby causing said flipper member to snap over-center and strike said projection on said contact carrier to move said contact carrier against its above-mentioned bias to effect disco-- gagement of saidset of contacts, said abutment being adjustablewith respect to said, flipper member to enable variation in the amount of travel necessary for said flipper carrier to eflect over-center snap movement of said flipper member. 7 V a t a t ,3. In a snap-action switch, in combination, a movable contact carrier inherently biased in a given direction to effect engagement of a set of contacts and being provided with a projection extending in said given direction, a movable flipper carrier inherently biased in a direction opposite to said given direction and positioned relative to said contact carrier so that the respective biases urge said carriers toward each other, said flipper carrier having therein an opening to receive said projection on said contact carrier, a bowed flipper member having its opposite ends pivotally mounted on said flipper carrier substantially equidistantly from said contact carrier projection extending through said opening in said flipper carrier, an adjustably positioned abutment adjacent said flipper member on the side thereof opposite to said contact carrier, and a switch operating plunger to overcome said bias on said flipper carrier to cause said flipper member to contact said abutment thereby causing said flipper member to snap over-center to strike said projection on said contact carrier to move said contact carrier against its above-' mentioned bias to effect disengagement of the set of contacts.

4. In a snap-action switch, in combination, a stationary contact, a movable contact carrier having a movable contact and being biased in a given direction to normally tend to eflect engagement of said movable contact with said stationary contact, a movable flipper carrier inherently biased in a direction opposite to said given direction and positioned relative to said contact carrier to cause said biases to urge said' carriers toward each other, a bowed flipper member pivotally engaged at each end thereof with flipper carrier, and bodily movable with the latter said contact carrier having a projection extending toward said flipper member, an adjustable stationary abutment positioned adjacent said flipper member on the opposite side thereof from said contact carrier, and a switch actuating member to overcome said bias on said flipper carrier to cause said flipper member to contact said abutment thereby causing said flipper to snap over-center and strike said projection on said contact carrier to move said contact carrier against its above-mentioned bias to'thereby effect disengagement of said movable contact from said stationary contact.

5. In a snap-action-switch, in combination, a stationary contact, a movable contact carrier having a movable contact and being inherently biased in a given direction to normally tend to effect engagement of said movable'contact with said stationary contact, said contact carrier being provided with a projection extending in said-given direction, a movable flipper carrier inherently biased in a direction opposite to said given direction and positioned relative to said contact carrier so that the respective biases V urge said carriers toward each other, said flipper carrier having therein an opening to receive said projection on said contact carrier, a bowed flipper member havingopposite ends pivotally mounted on said flipper carrier substantially equidistant from said contact carrier projection extending into said opening in said flipper carrier, an adjustably positioned abutment adjacent said flipper member on the side thereof opposite to said contact carrier, and a switch operating plunger to overcome said bias on said flipper carrier to cause said flipper to contact said abutment thereby causing said flipper to snap over-center to strike said projection on said contact carrier to move said contact carrier against its above-mentioned bias to effect disengagement of said stationary and said movable contacts.

Rich Mar. '16, 1937 

